Combined article of furniture and radio receiving set



March 10, 1942. 10. J.' CROWLEY' COMBINED ARTICLE OF FURNITURE AND RADIO RECEIVING SET Filed March 21, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 1' INVENTOR DANIEL J. CROWLEY ATTORNEYS March 10, 1942.. D. J. CROWLEY 2, 7

COMBINED ARTICLE OF FURNITURE AND RADIO RECEIVING SET Filed March 21, 1938 h 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 III! 4 7 ll "I 3 2| /88 BI 82 u I 80 7 9Q l 1 l B2 72 22 E I I T U 1| 1 :1 5 se 75 I 63 68 28 23 l .l. I 73 27 5 .4 i 64 [1 l6 5 66 I "3, s9 66 I l J 1 35 I9 36 v v as 26 37 24 34 I. H 37 '5 5 us FIG2 29 49 4o 50 II I [1 l i 3| ll n r 41 4s 43 I 44 INVENTOR DANIEL J., CROWLEY BY W? ATTORNEYS March 1o, 1942. D. J. CROWLEY 2, 75,506

COMBINED ARTICLE OF FURNITURE AND RADIO RECEIVING SET Filed March 21, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR CROW LEY m ORNEY DANIEL J. %1/M ATT March 10,1942. D. J.. CROWLEY COMBINED ARTICLE OF FURNITURE AND RADIO RECEIVING SET Filed'March 21, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet. 4

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m" 94 as I02 NVENTOR I DANIE L J. CROWLEY BY ATTZRNEYS March 10, 1942. D. J. CROWLEY COMBINED ARTICLE OF FURNITURE AND RADIO RECEIVING SET 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 21, 1938 R Y m m mm o w n Patented Mar. 10, 1942 COMBINED ARTICLE OF FURNITURE AND RADIO RECEIVING SET Daniel J. Crowley, Grosse Pointe, Mich.

Application March 21, 1938, Serial No. 197,280

6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to household equipment and refers more particularly to an article of furniture embodying radio receiving apparatus.

One of the principal objects of this invention consists in the ingenious manner in whichthe instrumentalities of a radio receiving set are distributed in the various parts of an article of furniture and also in the novel manner in which these instrumentalities are supported on the article of furniture. Another object of the present invention consists in the provision of a construction of the character set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the instrumentalities. of the radio receiving set are not only compactly arranged in the several parts of the article of furniture in a manner such that they are substantially concealed from view but, in addition, are secured to the various parts of the article of furniture in a manner to permit the same to be readily installed in and removed from the article.

Still another advantageous feature of this invention resides in the provision of an artic e of furniture having a base section adapted to house certain of the instrumentalities of the radio receiving set and having a top section supported by the base section and adapted to contain additional parts of the radio receiving set. In accordance with the present invention, the. power supply unit of the radio receiving set is housed in the base, while the loud speaker andchassis, including the remaining parts of the selected radio circuit, are compactly arranged in the top section of the article of furniture.

It is a further object of thepresent invention to construct the top unit in a manner tonot only advantageously house the parts aforesaid of the radio receiving set, but to also form an effective baffle for the loud speaker unit.

, A still further feature of the present invention consists in arranging the tuning unit for the radio receiving set in a position where it not only improves the artistic appearance of the article of furniture but, in addition, where it may be conveniently manipulated by the operator.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the novel construction of the tuning unit which not only provides for obtaining the artistic appearance set forth in the preceding paragraph but, in addition, renders it possible to compactly arrange the controls so that the same occupy the minimum space.

from the base section without detaching any of the instrumentalities of the radio receiving set from their respective supporting sections.

The foregoing, as well as other objects, will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an article of furniture having a radio receiving set associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the article of furniture indicated in Figure 1 and illustrating diagrammatically various instrumentalities of theradio receiving set in their respective positions;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of another trating a further modified form of construction. For the purpose of illustrating the present invention, I-have selected an article of furniture which may be used as a smoking stand, although it will be understood as this description proceeds that the present invention is applicable to varisets, but to also impart an artistic appearance to the article of furniture. This has been accomplished, in the present instance, without interfering with the intended purpose of the article of furniture and without obscuring the controls associated with the tuning unit for the:

radio receiving circuit. In the case of a smoking stand, thecontrols are prominently located at the center of the supporting surface of the.

stand in a position where it may be conveniently manipulated by the operator.

Attention may also be called to the fact at this time that while the various instrumentalities of the radio receiver are compactly arranged and concealed ,in the several parts of the article of furniture,

nevertheless, the construction is such as to permit these instrumentalities to be readily assembled with the article of furniture and at the same time affords relatively easy servicing of the radio circuit when required.

In detail, I have shown in Figures 1 and 2 an article of furniture in the form of a smoking stand having a base section II and a top section l2 supported from the base section by means of a pedestal l3. In the specific embodiment of the invention selected herein for the purpose of illustration, the base section ll forms a support for the power supply unit M of the radio receiving circuit, while the top section l2 supports the speaker unit l 5 and the chassis unit I G which includes all of the various parts of the selected radio receiving circuit other than these previoustion l2 by means of suitable electrical conductors which extend through the pedestal IS.

The top section I2 comprises a huh I! and an annular rim. 18 connected to the hub through the medium of a conical disc section IS. The hub 11 is threaded upon the upper end of the tube 20 which forms the pedestal l3 and the lower end of this tube is secured to the base section H in a manner to be presently described.

A table top 2! is seated upon the upper edge of the rim I8 and is provided with a central opening 22 therethrough of suflici'ent diameter to receive the tuning unit 23 of the radio receiving apparatus. 2| are clamped against the upper edge of the rim It; by means of a spider 24 having a hub 25 extending into the hub ll of the top section l2 and having outwardly projecting spokes 26, extending substantially parallel with the inner surface of the conical section IQ of the top section. The outer ends of the spokes terminate in upwardly projecting extensions 21 secured to the underside of the table top 2| by means of the fastener, elements 28. The lower end wall of the hub 25 is provided with a nut 29 threaded for engagement with the upper end of a drawbolt 3B which extends axially through the tube 20 and is provided with a head 3i cooperating with the spider 32 in the base section I I to effectively clamp the spider 24 together with the table top 2| in assembled relation with the top section I2. I

The speaker unit 15 is of conventional design and the cone 34 is secured to the spokes 26 of the spider with the hub portion 35 thereof extending into the hub 25 of the spider. The angle of inclination of the cone conforms to the angle of taper of the conical connecting section IQ of the top section It, and the periphery of the cone may be secured to the spokes 26 of the spider Ed by means of the fastener elements 36. The arrangement' is such that the conical connecting portion [9 of the top section l2 forms a bafile for the speaker and, in the present instance, the conicalportion I9 is apertured, as at 31, to provide The marginal edges of the table top to thetable top 21.

the desired transfer of tone from the speaker unit.

The spider 32 in the base section I l is enclosed by a cover 38 and is secured to the cover' by means of the fastener elements 48 which also function to clamp a hub 39 to the top of the cover 38. The central portion of the hub is apertured to provide for extending the electrical conductors therethrough and also to permit the passage of the drawbolt 30 therethrough. The outer extremities of the spokes M of the spider are secured to a base plate 4! through the medium of spacers 42, and this base plate is capable of being detached from the spider by removing the screws 43.

As stated above, the power supply unit I4 is housed in the base section II and, in the present instance, this unit comprises a power transformer 44, a speaker transformer 45, a rectifier tube 46, and an audio tube M. These elements are each supported from the spokes 4B of the spider by means of brackets 48 in a manner to be exposed when the plate M is removed from the spider. In this connection, it will be noted. that the head 3| of the drawbolt 30 is also exposed when the plate 4| is removed and may be readily manipulated, when desired. The lower end of the tube 20 is removably secured to the cover 38 and spider 32 by means of a coupling 49 threaded upon the lower end of the tube and having a radially outwardly extending flange 58 secured to both the cover 38 and spider 32 by means of the fastener elements 40. The coupling 49 is concealed by a suitable cover 5| sleeved on the tube 23 and having the lower end abutting the top of the cover 38 radially outwardly beyond the flange 50 on the coupling 49. The cover 5'! is detachably secured in place by means of a suitable ring 5-2 threaded on the lower end of the tube 2E2.

The chassis assembly 16 issupported in the top section l2 above the speaker unit l5 and is removably secured to the underside of the table top 2| by means of the fastener elements 28, previously referred to as securing the spider 24 In the present instance; the tuning unit 23 is carried by the chassis unit 16 and may be removed with the latter as an assembly. The chassis assembly 56 with the tuning unit 23 may be removed from the top section l2 by merely detaching the base plate 4| from the spider and removing the drawbolt 30. After this is accomplished, the table top 2-! may be lifted, from the top section l2 of the smoking stand and since the spider 24, chassis unit l6, and speaker 35 are secured either directly or indirectly to the tabletop 24, it follows that these elements are removable as a unit with the latter. The spider 24, chassis l6, and speaker I5 may then be detached from the underside of the table top 2| by removing the fastener elements 28.

As stated above, the various instrumentalities of the power supply unit in the base section Il may be exposed for service or other purposes by removing the base plate 4!. These instrumentalities, of course, may be detached as a unit from the base by merely removing the fastener elements 40. This permits removing the spider 32 and associated instrumentalities of the power supply unit M as an assembly from the stand.

It follows from the above that the various instrumentalities of the power supply unit M. may be attached to the spider 32 and. assembled in the base section llv of the stand as a unit. It. will also be noted from, the abovethat the chassis assembly l6 and speaker unit l5 form a sub-assemblyfwith the table top 2| and may be installed as a unitiwith the latter.

Referring now more in detail to the tuning unit 23, it will be noted that the same is supported above the table top 2| centrally of the latter in a position to be conveniently manipulated by the operator and comprises two controls 60 and GI. The control 6| is operatively connected to a combined rheostat and Off and On switch 63 supported on the chassis assem-- bly in a manner to be presently described. In accordance with conventional practice, the rheostat controls the volume of the radio receiver and the switch. selectively connects the receiver to and disconnects the same from a source of power supply. The control 58 is operatively connected .to the variable condensers 64 arranged on the chassis assembly and connected in the circuit to provide for varying the capacitance of the circuit.

Upon reference to Figure 2, it Will be noted that each of the variable condensers B4 is provided with a stator 66 having vertically spaced plates 61 and is also provided with a rotor 68 having plates 69 respectively movable between the: pinions H mesh with a common centrally disposed driving gear 12. The pinions H and driving gear 12 are positioned above the top wall I3 of the chassis casing 14 and the driving gear 12 is rotatably supported on the upper end of a tubular inverted cup-shaped housing '15 extending axially through the casing 14.

The gear 72 is rotated at a reduced speed from the control disc 60 and this is accomplished in the following manner. The control disc 60 is in the form of a ring having teeth on the inner an nular surface thereof meshing with a pinion 16 mounted on a carrier 11 and, in turn, meshing with a gear 18 fixed to a tube 19 extending axially i upwardly from the top of the inverted cupshaped element 15. porting tube 19 has a pressed fit in an opening formed in the top of the element 15 and, as a consequence, is held from rotation. As a result, rotation of the control disc 60 effects a rotation of the carrier disc 11 at a reduced speed.

The carrier disc TI is operatively connected to the driving gear 12 by a tube 88 concentrically arranged with respect to the tube 19 and having circumferentially spaced projections extending axially of the tube 88 from opposite ends thereof into slots 8| and 82 formed respectively in the carrier disc 71 and hub 83 of the driving gear 12. The construction is such that rotation of the control disc 69 effects a rotation of the driving gear 12 and rotors of the several condensers ata reduced speed.

Provision is-made in the driving connection between the control 60 and gear 12 to take up any back lash that may exist in the mechanism. In the present instance, the pinion 16 is rotatably carried by one end of a link 85 having the opposite end pivoted to the carrier disc 11. The pinion HE is, in effect, clamped between the teeth on the control disc 60 and the fixed gear 18 by normally urging the control disc 60 in a direction toward the pinion 16. This is accomplished by providing a spring 86 mounted on a stud 86' having the inner end extending through an opening in a lug 85' projecting upwardly from the carrier disc and secured tothe tube 80. The inner end of the The lower end of the supspring abuts the lug and the outer end of the spring engages a nut 84 secured to the outer end of the stud. As shown in Figure 2, the carrier disc 11 has a running fit with the tube 19 and is held from lateral displacement by the latter with the result that the spring 86 acts on the tube 80 tending to move the same laterally relative to the tube 19. The tube 80 rotates as a unit with the carrier disc and the slots 8| and 82 for receiving the driving projections at opposite ends of the tube 80 are elongated to provide for lateral displacement of the tube 80 relative to the carrier disc. The central opening 81 through the hub portion 88 of the control disc 60 has a running fit with the tube 80 and, as a result, moves laterally relative to the carrier disc as a unit with the tube 89. Remembering that the spring 86 is located diametrically opposite the pinion16, it follows that the control disc 68 is yieldably urged toward the pinion 16 to clamp the latter between the teeth on the control disc and the fixed gear 78.

In accordance with general practice, provision is'made herein for indicating the various broadcasting stations according to their respective frequencies and the indicia required for this purpose is applied to a band 89 fixed to the control disc 60. The band extends downwardly from the control disc and is visible through a window or opening 90 in a casing 9|. The casing 9| forms an extension of the top Wall of the chassis casing and projects upwardly from the latter. through the-opening 22 in the table top 2|. It will, of course, be understood that the window 90 is formed in the portion of the casing 9| projecting above the table top andthat the location of the band 89 is determined to be clearly visible through the window.

The control 6| is located above the control 69 and is fixed on a shaft 92 extending axially of the casing 9|. The lower end of the shaft 92 is operatively connected to'the combined rheostat and switch 63 in the orthodoxmanner so that initial rotation of the control 6| in one direction operates the switch to close the circuit to the receiving apparatus, and continued rotation op-. erates the rheostat to increase the volume. Of course, rotation of the control 6| in the opposite direction decreases the volume and opens the circuit aforesaid.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7,it will be noted that this construction differs essentially from the above described form in that the same is equipped with two speaker units, one in the base section 94 and the other in the top section 95. One speaker is preferably adjusted to deliver the higher notes and the other the lower notes, with the result that theultimate reception is substantially free from distortion. In detail, the base section 94 is provided with a cover 96 having an annular rim 9! and a centrally disposed upwardly projecting hub 98 integrally connected to the rim by a conical disc portion 99. A dynamic speaker unit I 90 of conventional design is located in the cover 96 with the hub portion |9| of the speaker extending into the. hub 98 of the cover and with the cone extending substantially parallel to the lower surface of the conical connecting portion 99 of the cover. In the present instance, the periphery of the cone is removably attached to the cover 96 by means of brackets I02 and the cover is apertured, as at I03, to provide the desired tone transfer.

A powersupply unit l4 identical to the one previously set forth in connection with the first described formof the invention is mounted on a base plate I 2 which, in turn, is detachably secured to the: conical portion 99 of the cover 95 byscrews I05; As a result, the power supply unit I4. may be detached as an assembly with the base plate I04. by merely. removing the screws I05.

The upper end ofthe' hub portion 98 of the cover 95 is threaded for. attachment to the lower end of the pedestal I06 having the upper end threadedly connected to a hub I01 depending from the topsection 95. The top section 95 is substantially cup-shaped in cross section and is closed at the upper end by a table top I0'I seated on the upper edge of the annular wall I08 of the cup-shaped top section. The top section '95 houses a chassisunit I09 having a control unit H0 extendingiupwardly. through a central opening Ill in the table top I01 and having a pair 2 of controls 55 and GI accessible for convenient manipulation by the operator. The chassis unit I09and associated control unit H0 are identical in construction to the chassis I6 and control unit 23 described in detail in the above embodiment I I4 of sufficient dimension to receive the hub I I5 :5

of the speaker and is also'provided with radially outwardly extending spokes I it having the outer ends removably secured to the chassis I09 by screws H1. The spokes H5 are shaped to form seats for the cone I I8 of the speaker unit and the peripheray of the cone is secured to the spokes by screws I'I9. Either or both the annular side wall I08 or the top wall I01 of the top section 95 are apertured to provide tone transfer from the speaker. The two speakers are, of course, electrically connected in the receiving circuit in accordance with orthodox practice so as to operate in conjunction with one another.

The top wall I0'I is clamped against th upper edge of the annular side wall I08 by a bolt I25 extending axially through the pedestal with the upper end threadedly connected to the lower end I09, and speaker II2 to be lifted from the-top section 95 as an assembly. This sub-assembly may be readily disassembled after it has been removed from the pedestal.

The. embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 8 may be incorporated in either or both of the foregoing modifications, if desired, and consistsv in providing a detachable electrical connection between the radio receiving instrumentalities in the top section of the stand and the parts in the base of the latter. In detail, a disc I is suitably secured in the upper end of the pedestal and is formed with the required number of sockets I2I therein which are electrically connected to those instrumentalities in the base section it is desired to electrically connect to the parts in the top section. A cooperating disc I22 is secured to the hub by welding or the like and this disc isprovided with plugs I23 corresponding in number to the sockets I2I. The plugs are respectively electrically connected to the parts of the circuit in the top section it is essential to connect to the: instrumentalities in the base and are adapted to have a sliding fit with the sockets IZI. As a result, the top section may be readily removed from the pedestal without-detaching the electrical conductors from the various instrumentalities of the radio circuit and this is desirable in that it permits permanently securing the ends of the conductors to the several parts of the radio set.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a combined article of furniture and radio receiving set, a stand having a base section provided with top, bottom, and side walls defining an enclosed space, a pedestal extending upwardly from the base, a top section supported on the topof. the pedestal and having a top wall, a radio receiving set having a chassis unit suspended from the top wall of the top section and comprising a plurality of parts of a radio circuit means securing the chassis unit to the top wall of the top section, additional parts of the radio circuit housed in the base section and electrically connected to parts in the chassis unit through the pedestal, tuning control elements located above the top wall of the top section and operatively connected to certain of the parts of the circuit in said chassis through an opening in the top wall of said top section, a loud speaker unit positioned between the chassis unit and upper end of the pedestal, and means for securing the loud speaker unit to the top wall of the top section.

2. In a combined article of furniture and radio receiving set, a stand having a base section and having a top section supported above the base section by a pedestal, said top section having top, bottom and side walls defining an enclosed space, a radio receiving set having a chassis unit comprising a number of parts of the radio circuit and housed in the top section, additional parts of the radio receiving circuit housed in the base and electrically connected to certain parts of the chassis unit through the pedestal, a loudspeaker unit comprising a, cone-shaped diaphragm secured in the top section beneath the chassis unit with the cone facing upwardly, and tuning control elements supported above the top wall ofthe top section one above the other and respectively operatively connected to different parts ofthe radio receiving circuit.

3. In a combined article of furniture-and radio receiving set, a stand provided with a hollow base section having a removable bottom wall, a hollow top section supported above the base section by apedestal and having a removable top wall, means accessible for manipulation upon removing the bottom wall of the base section and effective to secure the top wall of the top section in place, a radio receiving set having certain parts secured to the underside of the top wall of the top section within the latter and having other parts secured to the bottom wall of the base section within the latter, and means operatively connected to one of the parts of the radio receiving set for adjusting the latter part including a revoluble control element positioned above the top wall of the top section and removable as a unit with the latter wall.

4. In a combined article of furniture and radio receiving set, a stand having a hollow base section provided with a removable bottom wall, a hollow top section supported above the base section by a pedestal and having a removable top wall, a radio receiving set having a chassis unit housed in the top section and comprising a, plurality of parts of a radio receiving circuit, a loud speaker assembly supported in the top section and comprising a cone positioned directly beneath the chassis unit and facing the bottom of the latter, additional parts of the radio receiving circuit housed in the base section and removable with the bottom wall of the latter, tuning control elements supported above the top wall of the top section and operatively connected to certain parts of the radio receiving circuit through an opening in the top wall of the top section, means for securing the chassis unit, speaker assembly and tuning controls to the top wall of the top section for removal as a unit with the latter wall, and means accessible upon removing the bottom wall of the base section for securing the top wall of the top section in place.

5. In a combined articl of furniture and radio receiving set, a stand provided with a base and a top section supported above the base, said top section having a top wall, a chassis unit comprising an assembly of aplurality of parts of a radio receiving apparatus suspended from the top wall, a loud speaker unit comprising a cone positioned directly beneath the chassis unit and facing the bottom of the latter, volume jcontrol means in the chassis unit having a vertical shaft extending through the top wall of the top section, tuning control means also located in the chassis unit and distributed around said shaft, a

member mounted for rotation about the axis of said shaft and operatively connected to the tuning control means for actuating the latter, a vertically extending tubular shaft supported in concentric relation to the first named shaft and having the lower end connected to the revoluble member for rotating the latter, a pair of dial members supported one above the other for rotation independently of one another about the axis of the first shaft and located above the top Wall of the top section, means connecting one of the dial members to the tubular shaft, and

a top section supported above the base by a pedestal, said top section having a top Wall, a chassis unit comprising an assembly of a plurality of parts of a radio receiving apparatus suspended from the top wall of the top section, a loud speaker unit suspended from the top wall of the top section and located between the chassis unit and upper end of the pedestal, volume control means centrally disposed in the chassis unit and having a vertical shaft extending through the top wall of the top section to a position above said wall, a plurality of variable condensers in the chassis unit spaced from each other around the axis of said shaft and each variable; condenser having a rotor provided with a pinion,

a revoluble driving gear mounted for rotation about the axis of said shaft and adapted to mesh.

with said pinions for simultaneously adjusting said condensers, a tubular shaft supported in concentric relation to the vertical shaft and having the lower end connected to the driving gear for rotating the latter, a pair of dial members supported one above the other for rotation independently of one another about the axis of the volume control shaft and located above the top wall of the top section, and means respectively operatively connecting the dial members to said shafts.

DANIEL J. CROWLEY. 

